Somewhere Along The Line Part I
by Miss Bella Green
Summary: AU.The death of Severus Snape throws everyone in Hogwarts, including the famous Marauders into an odd time of realizing what they're up against. With Voldemort rampaging, the students of Hogwarts may lose themselves trying to keep everything they cherish.
1. Slipped Away

**Somewhere Along The Line: Part I**

_By: SilverDrama_

_Chapter One – Slipped Away_

"Sirius," James Potter said to his friend as he walked into the fifth year boy's dormitory, "Why aren't you out with our furry little problem?"

Sirius Black looked up. "Because ol' Snivelly is." Sirius grinned.

James stared at his friend.

"No need to thank me." Sirius said.

James stared at his friend, appalled. "Sirius, what the hell were you thinking?" James spat at his friend.

Sirius snorted. "What was I thinking? I was thinking '_hey, I'll get rid of the main threat to my best mate dating the girl he wants.'_ What do you care anyhow? It's just a greasy, Slytherin, Dark git we're talking about." Sirius proudly finished as though this would make James approve of murder.

"What about Lily? You think she'd be happy to hear what my best mate did to her best mate? Or what about our mate, you know Remus? You think he'd be happy to bite or kill someone, even if it is Snape." James yelled.

Sirius gulped. "I didn't think of that."

"You don't think at all, do you." It wasn't a question and Sirius knew this.

James slammed the door as he left the dormitory to go find Snape, hopefully before Snape found Remus.

As soon as James went to leave the common room, a certain red-head yelled at him. "James, you can't leave the Gryffindor common room. No one's allowed to leave the common rooms." Lily Evans said.

"Why not?" James asked turning around and ruffling his hair.

"I don't know." Lily said before grabbing her books and walking up the girls' dormitory, her walk, however, was cut short by McGonagall bursting in and demanding that every Gryffindor in the Tower come.

By the time the prefects (minus one Messr Moony) had gathered every kids in Gryffindor tower, the first years were half-falling asleep. (Though James did note one kid who was sporting blonde hair, a smile, and a wide sense of being awake.)

"Now, this is a very hard thing to say, but it seems as though a student has been killed." McGonagall said.

James whipped his head to a pale and wide eyed Sirius. Several of the younger kids gasped, (one began crying), during which a few arrogant seventh years were taking bets over who it was.

"Who was it?" Lily Evans asked. "Was it Peter," She sounded worried for her fellow classmate,

"'Cause he isn't here."

James looked around and realized that in the midst of his anger at Sirius and worry for Remus and Snape, he's forgotten Peter. This now made him wonder just where Peter was.

McGonagall shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I am not to reveal the student tonight." McGonagall walked off after that last statement, as she left, a small figure no one but James noticed entered. The reason no one noticed was because it was a rat, a familiar, rat.

James glanced from Peter to Lily for a split second to see hr crying, apparently because she thought it was Peter.

James quickly sped up the stairs and into the dormitory as the rat followed him. Once inside, Peter transformed back into a human and began coughing and wheezing a bit (His asthma). "Snape," Peter coughed some more which made James wish Peter took his medicine. "I saw him come down the tunnel, but I'm not big enough, I couldn't find you or Sirius anywhere, so no one could stop it," James paled and began shaking his head while Peter's voice dropped. "Snape's dead."

James growled.

"I mean, I don't even know how he knew to get down there, but he did, I turned into a human to try and save him, but Moony, he went after me, and let's face it, I'm a cowardly rat like in the Wizard of Goz." Peter said as he began rummaging through his trunk to find his inhaler.

"First of all," A small voice said, "It's was the _Wizard of Oz_, and second of all, it was the cowardly lion." Frank Longbottom finished and then stopped. "What's wrong? Do you guys know who died? Was it Remus?" Frank asked quickly since he didn't know about Remus's condition.

James and Peter looked at each other and it was James who spoke since Peter was wheezing his medicine.

"Remus is sick and in the Hospital Wing, the only thing that could kill him is a really pissed off Madam Pomphrey." James said in a voice that did it's best to hold back a longing to murder his best friend for basically murdering (more of, having the conscientious friend murder) the girl he fancies' best friend.

"I wonder who it is then." Frank muttered. "Oh I hope it isn't Alice, she's so nice, but I can't find her." Frank worried.

Peter rolled his eyes a bit. "Alice went to the library, not a place where you can get killed."

"This is Hogwarts," Frank said in a bit of an angrier voice than either Peter or James had ever heard, "Yesterday we thought that no one could ever die here. Anywhere is susceptible if someone can die." Frank rambled.

"Don't worry," James and Peter stiffened as Sirius spoke while entering the room, "It wasn't your _dear_ Alice," Sirius laughed a bit, "It was Snivellus." Sirius barked a laugh but soon stopped when he saw James and Peter glaring ferociously and Frank looking at him with anger, rage, and confusement."

"Sirius, are you out-of-your-mind?" Frank asked. "I mean I know that you don't like him, but happiness over a fifteen year old boy dead?" Frank looked disgusted and awed with his roommate. "And how do you even know this?"

"Who cares?" Sirius said. "Snivellus is gone, one less Death Eater we have to fight when we're all Aurors."

"Presuming you actually become an Auror and aren't sent to Azkaban." James said.

"Why would he go to Azkaban?" Frank said and then his eyes widened. "Did _you_ kill Snape"

Sirius shook his head, and then added. "Well, I didn't kill him, I just gave him a way to die." Sirius sat down on the edge of his bed, relaxing.

"How?" Frank asked.

"Well," Sirius began but was immediately shut up by Peter and James knocking him off of his bed, silencing the voice the three were annoyed with.

"Huh?" Frank asked.

"Nothing." Peter and James answered Frank's question.


	2. Time Won't Let Me Go

_Chapter 2 – Time Won't Let Me Go_

It was a year ago, Lily Evans could recall, that she lost her best friend. True, she had other friends; true, she was likely to lose her friend to the side of the war he was lurking on, but death, like _that_ was undeserved. She never knew exactly _how_ he died. She heard that a werewolf had been on campus and that Sev had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. _It was always that way._ Everyone always said "wrong place at the wrong time." _Is there ever a good place or a good time?_

Time stood still in Lily's mind, everyday, like the first day of grief. It wasn't the grief that touched her. It was that someone fell. It seemed odd. One had fallen _at Hogwarts_, of all places. No longer did Lily feel untouchable. No longer did it seem like she would only read about deaths of classmates' families. _No_. She knew, this death had woken her up from naivety, she would soon enough be reading about deaths of people she knew. Friends, classmates. They were all next.

Lily had come closer to her other friends: Mary MacDonald, the dark brunette of Hogwarts known for her ability to flunk her Divination O.W.L.s; Alice Liddell, the dirty blonde with whom Lily had been friends with since third year; and Emily Woodville, the Ravenclaw of the group. Ever since Emily told one of her brothers to stop calling Lily a mud-blood when they were forth years, they'd been inseparable ever since.

Lily had also noted after Sev's death that the Marauders were oddly enough, separable. James began hanging out with Frank Longbottom and after a while, Remus Lupin. Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black had become good friends along with a Ravenclaw named George Swynford, and Sirius had effectively ended his friendship with George by sleeping with George's sister Margaret and trying to seduce the other sister, Kathryn.

In Lily's case, however, it wasn't as though she was avoiding life, life was avoiding her, for a good reason.

She had so far blown up three potions, and had just blown up her forth. Professor Slughorn was getting more astounded by the day at how far the Star-Pupil of Potions was slipping into failure.

"Lily," Emily whispered to Lily, "Just give up. You can fail _one_ measly potion. It isn't the _end_ of the world."

"Just my grade." Lily snapped as she began her fifth try of the same potion.

"Lily, you have the best marks in the class, one bad potion will _not_ tarnish your grades." Emily said as she perfected her own potion.

Lily sighed. "Fine. I give up." Lily said, taking some of her explosive potion and bottling it. She walked up to the front of the classroom, past the last few occupant of the class, the lasts to finish. Handing Slughorn the horrible potion grudgingly, she walked back to her table, grabbing her stuff, and effectively leaving, Emily soon following her.

"Lily, no need to be _so_ angry about a simple potion grade." Emily said as she ran to catch up with Lily.

"It's not the grade." Lily snapped.

"Then what is it?" Emily asked as she finally caught up with Lily, out of breath and out of shape.

Lily's eyes widened, some sort of revelation Emily was presuming and before Emily could realize anything, Lily was walking fast, away from Emily. Too fast for Emily to catch up without dying in the process.

Pausing, Emily took her bag off of her shoulder and rested it on one of the walls, catching her breath. It was in that short quarter of a minute, that Sirius Black decided to leave Potions. It was an odd thing with Sirius and Potions. Emily knew that Sirius aced the class simply, some days, he was the first student to leave the classroom, yet some days, he was the last.

"Hey Emily." Sirius said, throwing a cocky grin on his face as he slowly moved himself towards Emily.

Emily rolled her eyes and Sirius noted the way the green in her eyes outshone the blue parts when the light hit them correctly. "Sirius, I don't care how horny you are, I'm not sleeping with you. No matter how much you tell me that it'll piss of Tom, Nick, and Nat, I would like to keep my virginity, thank you very much." Emily said, her words dripping with disdain.

"So sleeping with me wouldn't piss off Austin?" Sirius joked. "And hold on, virgin? I thought you lost it last summer." Sirius said.

Emily looked at Sirius, thought for a moment, and snickered. "Sirius, that was my friend, Mildred. How in the world do you even confuse the two of us?"

Sirius shrugged.

It was then, that Peter Pettigrew left the Potions classroom. Unlike Sirius, Peter was _always_ late; he was the worst in the class and really, he should've dropped the class.

"What're you two talking about?" Peter asked, walking up to the two.

"Sirius confused me and Mildred up. He thought I lost my virginity last summer, when in reality it was Mildred." Emily explained.

Peter faked a surprised face. "Mildred lost her virginity over the summer?"

"Peter, don't be so naive and think sex is saved marriage." Sirius explained to his naive friend.

"And honestly, Peter," Emily grinned to herself, "Don't act like you don't know, I mean you were the one she slept with." Emily said innocently, pretending she was saying something as common as a school assignment.

Sirius turned to look at his friend. "Finally?" He Sirius asked happily.

"Sirius you were the only non-virgin in our dorm. James is pining after Lily, Remus doesn't feel like he deserves girls _and_ he thinks it's wrong, and Frank is, Frank." Peter bluntly said. A year prior, Peter Pettigrew would never have been so bold to say something like that without wearing a grin on his face afterwards. Sadly and sinisterly enough, Severus Snape's death had helped Peter Pettigrew. Taking the role as the 'middle-man' since Sirius was the problem, Remus was too sulky, James too enraged, and Frank too un-clued in, Peter had gained self-confidence, and sensibility alongside his appreciation for loyalty.

"Frank is pining after Alice." Emily butted in for her friend.

"Frank is still Frank." Peter and Sirius identically said.

Emily rolled her eyes. "It's mean to say that Frank doesn't get any because of the way he is," Emily pointed out.

"Sure." Peter and Sirius said.

* * *

_Love was a state of mind_. Regulus Black was sure of this; just like insanity and delusion, love was a simple state of mind. He hoped this true, because maybe his friend would snap out of this state of mind, seeing as Barty was pathetically in love. His friend Barty Crouch (Jr. to be specific) wasn't in love with Regulus, he was in love with the golden blonde haired girl sitting in front of the two.

_Kathryn Swynford._

The golden blonde haired Slytherin was lusted after since the year's beginning when the male population of Hogwarts noticed her ... nice features. When Kathryn Swynford began her fifth year, she was quite noticeably more ... grown. Her curves had formed, her breasts had filled, and she got robes that were probably too small, but not tight enough for every guy in Hogwart's imagination.

_Most_ of Hogwarts' male population stopped lusting after Kathryn when they realized she was out of reach (and George Swynford would probably rearrange their face), Barty was one of the few who still lusted after her.

"Her hair looks like heaven." Barty sighed as the fifth year Slytherins and Hufflepuffs were _supposed_ to be listening to one of Professor Binn's lectures, Regulus and Barty never really paid attention, but somehow, Regulus felt that today he would rather listen to the ghost's droning of Goblin Rebellions than listen to how perfect Kathryn was.

"Barty, we don't care how perfect her hair is." The Hufflepuff on the other side of Regulus said, talking over Regulus. Regulus knew her, she was Eleanor Emerson. She was a nice girl, red hair, and was one of the few kids to intend to take History of Magic N.E.W.T. for pleasure. She had never fallen asleep during a History of Magic class, but fell asleep in nearly every Divination class. She sat next to Regulus in Divination as well, and the two met when they were nine. She had an older brother Patrick and a cat named Specka.

"But her hair is _so_ shiny and perfect. I wonder if it's soft." Barty sighed, lovesick.

Kathryn turned around and threw a whipping look at Barty. "Don't even _think_ about touching my hair Barty," She snapped before turning back around.

"Wow." Eleanor said. "The shrew doesn't want people touching her hair."

Kathryn whipped around once more. "I'm _not_ a shrew, I have a better social and educational life than you, but maybe you're jealous of my looks and must call me names for your self-confidence. So honestly, Eleanor, call me names, it won't make you better, it'll just make _you_ the shrew."

Eleanor rolled her eyes. "I'm the shrew?" She asked and Regulus wished that it was Eleanor behind Kathryn, and not him.

"Yes," Kathryn bluntly said, "You are, now be quiet, I would like to pass this class. Some of us don't have the option of stealing our older siblings' notes."

"Of course you don't Kathryn, both of your siblings just failed their O.W.L.'s last year for this class." Eleanor smugly said.

"As opposed to your brother who cheated his way through," Kathryn's fight was cut off.

"You two just shut up." Regulus whipped at the two, physically turning Kathryn around.

"You didn't have to end our fight." Eleanor said.

"Trust me, I had to." Regulus said.

* * *

"Lily?" Remus Lupin asked. "Lily?"

Lily was currently trying to balance about ten or fifteen reference books for a History of Magic essay.

"Lily? Do you need any help with those?" Remus asked.

"Uh, sure." Lily said, almost dropping every book.

Remus grabbed half of the books and put them on the table. Grabbing half of the remaining, he sat down at the table, Lily took the seat across the table from Remus, opening one book.

"Lily." Remus said softly.

"Can you pass me that book?" Lily pointed to a book next to Remus.

Remus passed Lily the book. "Lily."

"Can you pass me that book?" Lily pointed to another book.

Remus shook his head and Lily grabbed for the book, but Remus swiftly grabbed it from her and held it up from Lily's reach. Lily stood up to grab the book, but Remus was taller and stood up, holding the book from Lily. "Lily." Remus said.

"What?" Lily asked exasperatedly.

"You're acting really weird. You've been doing it for a while. Did you ever get over Sna-Severus's death?" Remus asked.

Lily nodded.

Remus raised an eyebrow.

"Not fully, but that's not, arg, never mind." Lily rambled, grasping for a different book.

"Lily," Remus said and Lily looked up at Remus, green met amber, "Are you sure you're all right?"

Lily slowly shook her head. "It isn't so much the grief though." She said.

"What's wrong?" Remus asked.

Lily opened her mouth and then her eyes widened and she shook her head. "Nothing." She said the way a child denies stealing from the cookie jar. "Absolutely nothing." She lied, easily and yet unconvincingly.

"Lily, neither of us believes that." Remus said.

Lily looked up at Remus. "Nothing about Sev's death is bothering me, now if you'll excuse me, I have an essay to finish."

Remus shrugged and left the library.

* * *

"So you're _positive_ that she isn't still moping over Snape's death?" James asked and Remus and Frank sighed.

It wasn't normal that even Frank sighed at James's inquiries.

"James," Frank said, "Stop freaking out so much."

"For once I agree with Frank." Remus said.

"For once?" Frank asked.

"It's not freaking out, I'm just wondering." James argued for himself.

"For once?" Frank asked again.

"James," Remus exasperatedly said, "Even if she is over Snape's death, which I doubt she is, she still isn't really going to like you." Remus paused and then added. "Also, if she ever really figures out _how _Snape died, you really won't have a chance."

Frank sniggered. "He's right there mate." Frank had been clued in on part of Snape's death. James and Remus had decided to tell Frank about Remus's lycanthropy. Both left out the part of animagi, but did tell him that Sirius knew and told Snape. Frank had originally been angry, he had confronted Sirius once about it, but began to follow James and Remus's actions and just ignored Sirius.

James rolled his eyes. "Hey, I would've saved Snape, but I didn't find out in time." James argued.

Frank raised an eyebrow.

"I would've." James argued.

"Sure you would've." Remus said and Frank nodded.

"Well I would've." James argued.

"James," Remus said, "You _hated_ Snape and he was the one person, in your mind, in between you and Lily. Honestly, I sincerely doubt that you would've saved him." Remus said.

"I would've!" James argued. "And I bet that if I _had_ saved Snape, he would've stopped being a git, been nice to me, and Lily, seeing how brave I am, would've fallen for my charms and I would have her to myself."

Frank raised an eyebrow, questioning James. "James, if you _had_ saved Snape, I doubt Snape would've liked you, and I sincerely doubt Lily would come around, especially if she knew that at the time, your best friend had done it." Frank finished with an emphasis on reality.

"For once, I agree with Frank." Remus said.

"For once?" Frank asked. "You always say 'for once,' but you say it _so_ much, can't you just say 'I agree with Frank?'" Frank ranted.

"Okay, Frank," James said cautiously, "Calm down. No need to get as testy as Remus when I stole some of his chocolate."

"It was German Chocolate!" Remus argued.

James rolled his eyes. "You attacked me with a spoon."

Frank sniggered a bit. "A spoon, honestly Remus, I would've used a knife."

"Traitor!" James joked, throwing a book at Frank, which he promptly caught.

"You have apparently never tasted German chocolate if you think that." Frank pointed out.

James took in a dreamy sigh, as though he were siphoning a memory, "No, I remember that taste." He earned a glare from Remus.

* * *

"One." Mary said, motioning to a seventh year Ravenclaw.

Alice looked up. "Pass."

Emmeline Vance roller her eyes at the girls a year above her "When are you ever going to stop playing 'one-two-three' and just ask out Lupin like you totally want to?" Emmeline asked.

Alice looked at her friend. "Em! Don't say it so loud!"

Emmeline rolled her eyes once again, a habit she enjoyed doing. "Alice, your crush on Remus couldn't get anymore obvious."

"I don't know, I mean it could be as bad as James' crush on Lily." Dorcas pointed out as she flipped through a copy of _Witch Weekly_.

"And still," Alice said, "Don't _advertise_ it."

"Honestly Alice," Lily said, walking up to the table, "You advertise it already. Always so 'head-over-heels' for him. It's a wonder that he doesn't know already." Lily sat down next to Alice. "You should just ask out Frank, he's totally crushing on you."

Alice wrinkled her nose. "He's a dork."

"I think he's sweet." Lily said.

"Well then, you can have him." Alice said.

"I don't want him, he isn't my type, he _is_ however, your type." Lily pointed out.

"And I suppose your type is someone like James Potter." Alice said offhandedly.

Lily's eyes flared red, something emerald eyes normally don't achieve unless it's around Christmas time. "I. Do. NOT. Like. James. Potter." Lily snarled.

"I was _just_ joking Lily."

"Two." Mary said, pointing to a third year Hufflepuff.

"Lockhart?" Alice asked. "Heck no, he likes his hair more than he likes girls. Not to mention that he's _fourteen_!"

"Alice, it wasn't a funny joke. You and Emily keep saying I'm in love with Potter, since forth year when he first asked me out." Lily said.

"Yeah," Emmeline said, glancing up from an issue of a new magazine called _The Quibbler_, she found it amusing, "Alice, the joke got old really fast, when you started it two years ago."

"I'm with Emmeline." Lily said.

"Three." Mary proudly said, motioning to James Potter's two confidences.

"Remus?" Alice asked excitedly. "I'll take him."

Mary sniggered. "The other one. You get Frank Longbottom as your true love." Mary cooed jokingly.

"Just for that Mary, I say that you get to marry Peter Pettigrew." Alice said.

"Hey," Mary interjected, "According to Millie Mick, he's pretty good in the sack."

Alice rolled her eyes.

"Millie Mick?" Dorcas Meadows, the girls other roommate, inquired.

"Mildred McStravick, Ravenclaw, our year." Mary quickly spoke.

"Why Millie Mick?" Dorcas asked.

"Well Peter probably could get a better girl but she's ni-" Mary was cut off.

Alice interjected. "She means why the nickname Millie Mick. And Millie is the nickname Emily and I gave her, and Mick is from her last name _Mc_Stravick."

"Got it." Dorcas said.

* * *

Peter Pettigrew was on a mission that could backfire. "Hey Remus, can I talk to you?" Peter asked. His plan had been to try and get Sirius and James together as friends again. The two had ended their friendship right after Sirius got his two years of detention for getting Snape killed. Oddly enough, Sirius didn't get expelled. Though, could one really get expelled for telling someone a place to go. Sirius had also been banned from Hogsmeade, not that it had ever stopped him.

Peter was growing tired of being Sirius's best friend. It was a stressful job for him, it was nothing for James.

Two of the four ex-Marauders were in the common room, James and Remus were occupied in the Marauders' Map while Sirius and Frank were at Muggle Studies.

Remus got up away from James and followed Peter to a more secluded corner. Though, normally when people were here, it was a boy and a girl and they were pressed together at the lips.

"I want to make Sirius and James friends again." Peter said.

Remus laughed. "As much as that would be great, Snape has a better chance of coming back alive, James has a better chance of dating Lily and Frank has a better chance trying to get Alice to notice him. Fab-."

"I get it." Peter said. "But we can do it, together." Peter insisted.

Remus shook his head. "Sorry Peter, but I really _don't_ think this would work, and I don't want to test my friendship with James."

Peter rolled his eyes, annoyed. "Coward." He said, pushing past Remus and accidentally knocking over Emmeline Vance, successfully making her drop her books.

Both bent down to pick up the books.

"Sorry." Peter apologized.

"It's okay, Peter." Emmeline said, grabbing the last of the books. "What were you and Remus talking about?"

"I wanted to try and make James and Sirius friends again. Remus told me it's a bad idea," Peter explained.

"It is," Emmeline said. "James and Sirius are so far gone and too proud to admit if either was wrong. You have a better chance of Snape coming back from the dead, of James getting Lily," Emmeline was cut off by Peter.

"I get it!" He said. "Sorry." He then added, "I think you're wrong, I think James and Sirius can become friends again."

Emmeline snorted. "You're so wrong. I've seen both of them, neither will break from their anger. But if you are _so_ sure, then let's bet on it."

"Bet?" Peter asked. "With what?"

"If you can't get them to be friends by the time I come back from France after Christmas break, then you get me a date with Sirius." Emmeline said.

"And if I _do_ get them to be friends before you get back from Christmas Break, you have to ask out," Peter paused and then said the first Slytherin that came to mind, "Regulus Black."

Both too confident for their own good shook hands on it. "Deal."


End file.
